The Hermit of Tickle Mountain
by newbienovelistRD
Summary: When Ben loses all hope, Jocu sends him to train under the instruction of Vibracio, the Tickle hermit. Will Ben overcome the trails that await him?


**Here's a story done by guestsurprise and myself! Enjoy and no flames please!**

* * *

Ben was feeling weak and exhausted. He had just gotten off of a mission that made him feel worse than ever.

 _"They're in pain because of me!" Ben snapped._

 _"Ben, you did the best you could!" Rook said._

 _"My best wasn't enough! All of our team ar in the hospital because of me!" Ben said angrily. "It was all because I was too weak to defeat that villain!"_

 _And with that, Ben angrily stomped away, still feeling miserable and angry that because of his weakness, he was unable to stop that villain from hurting his team…_

Ben weakly began walking through the rain on his way to get some food, but he couldn't do it. His steps began to get heavier and heavier and weaker and weaker. He felt like he was going to pass out.

"Failed. I failed everyone," he whispered sadly to himself.

"Ben," a voice said from behind him. Ben turned and saw Jocu behind him, looking at him in deep concern.

"Jocu," Ben said, now turning to walk towards him but he stumbled and almost fell. Jocu raced forward and caught him.

"Ben!" Jocu said, now catching him.

"T-Thank you..." Ben said softly. He was feeling exhausted and tired and if Jocu didn't catch him, he would have landed fast first in the mud.

"Ben, what happened to you?!"

"Besides the fact that I failed miserably, nothing new," Ben said, now feeling himself giving way even more. "Failure. Nothing but failure." Ben then closed his eyes in pure exhaustion and passed out in Jocu's arms.

"Oh Ben. All is not lost, little one, "Jocu said sadly. "Do not worry about today. You did your best and that is all that matters."

And with those words, Jocu snapped his fingers and they went to the realm. He knew that Ben needed some intervention. But not just any intervention. He needed some intervention that only his kind could give.

And he had just the person in mind; Vibracio.

Within seconds, Jocu arrived at the foot of the mountain. He then let out a gentle whistle along the breeze and soon he heard footsteps coming.

Within a few moments, Vibracio appeared. He had yellow eyes and light brown fur with a white underbelly. He had long black hair tied back in a ponytail He was tall and intimidating, but kind as a gentle sparrow.

"Jocu…are you alright? It is very late." Vibracio said softly.

"I know, Vibracio. But I have a friend that needs your help desperately." Jocu said softly.

"Who is this, friend?" the brown Lauhinian asked.

"His name is Ben Tennyson and he's discouraged. He has lost his confidence because of the terrible things that he has just gone through," Jocu replied.

Vibracio nodded and gently took Ben in his arms. "Come with me Jocu and tell me everything."

And with that, they both walked up the mountain and discussed what had happened to Ben.

* * *

The next morning, Ben slowly began to stir. He definitely had a great night sleep and it was most needed with all of what he had gone through.

"W-Where am I?" Ben asked, now glancing around the plant-like cave. That's when he realized he was wearing nothing but his boxers!

"You are in my home, young Tennyson," a voice replied. Ben turned and saw Vibracio sitting Indian style in front of him.

"W-Who are you?!" Ben gasped. "And where are my clothes?!"

"I am a friend of the royal family. My name is Vibracio, the hermit of Tickle Mountain." he replied calmly. "Do not be afraid. Jocu brought you here because he is very concerned about what you just endured."

"It's nothing new, Vi...whatever you name is. I always fail." Ben said angrily.

"That is not true, Ben." Vibracio replied softly. "That is why you were brought here. Those thoughts have you believing nonsense about yourself."

And with that, Ben groaned and pulled the covers over his head in defeat. Vibracio chuckled and pulled the covers back.

"Come now…let me see you, young hero," he soothed quietly. He then pressed a hand on Ben's head, making the hero look up at him. "Rest now, it will all be alright, Ben."

"Vibracio, was it? Thanks, I appreciate you trying to help me, but it won't be ok! I was a failure because I was too weak to do anything," he whispered.

"Ben, you were exhausted…you went on three missions in a row," Vibracio said.

"But still…"

"No Ben…I am not going to let you do this to yourself," Vibracio said, now pulling the hero to him in a hug.

"B-But…"

"Enough, young human. You are not going anywhere in this frame of mind. You need more rest and in an hour or so, we're going to do some tasks."

"Tasks?"

"Yes. Tasks to get you upbeat and lighthearted again." Vibracio said, now gently laying Ben back down. "Rest hero."

Ben nodded and within a few moments, he was out cold again.

An hour later, Vibracio woke up Ben.

"Wake up, hero."

Ben slowly stirred and woke up. "W-What is happening?"

"Time to renew your confidence hero. Now come," Vibracio nodded, helping him up and leading him outside and into the beautiful open air. Ben then noticed a large balance beam.

"Here. You are to simply walk across from this side to the other," he stated. Ben nodded and tried to go the first time, but kept falling off the beam.

"Ben, relax…" Vibracio said calmly.

"I-I'm trying!" Ben wailed, but it was no use. Walking simply from one side to another was very, very difficult for him. His mind replayed his past failures and felt his doubt returning.

The bean wobbled harshly as if it was Alice. Then it bucked Ben off.

"OWWWW! What the heck is up with that pole?!" Ben rubbed his sore backside.

"Because the beam senses negative feelings. It won't let you walk across it with that frame of mind." Vibracio said. "Again!"

Ben sighed as he got up and went back to the beam. He set his foot on the beam, it started to shake a little.

 _'I can't believe I'm doing this...'_ Ben said in his mind as he started to walk. _'This is stupid!'_

Sensing his negativity, the beam shook more. Ben tried to think happy thoughts, but he was having trouble doing so as he tried to keep his balance.

Smiling to himself, Vibracio stretched out his ponytail and used it to tickle Ben's side.

"Ahahahahahaha! Hey!" Ben laughed.

"Tickle, tickle, tickle!" Vibracio teased.

Ben laughed as he tried to keep his balance. As he was being tickled, his doubt was erased and the beam stopped shaking. But Ben was still having trouble balancing as the hermit's tail tickled him all over his upper body.

"Ahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Stop! Don't tickle me!" Ben laughed. "I ca- I can't! Hahahahahahahaha!"

"I'm not gonna stop." Vibracio mused. "You'll have to keep moving to get away from me."

Ben hurried down the beam and finally made it to the end. Vibracio stopped tickling and chuckled. "You see? You doubt throws you off the path. But with that doubt erased, you made it all the way through."

Ben frowned as Vibracio ruffled his hair. "Alright, into the next task."

Ben could just run away, but he knows he'll get caught and maybe suffer a big tickle torture, so he followed.

"Here we have the feather spring." Vibracio presented a hot spring pool. "You must swim across to the other side."

Ben rolled his eyes at this pointless challenge. He kerplunked his foot into the pool to test how hot it was, but it didn't stay in very long because Ben hopped back.

"YIKES!" he yelped. "DUDE! That water's freezing! I thought you said this was a hot spring!"

"I did." Vibracio said, hardly fazed. "And it is depending on whoever enters it is feeling."

Thinking back on his precious task, Ben blinked with realization. "Wait...is it cold because it's reflecting the coldness in my heart?"

The Tickle hermit shrugged. "I don't know. Is it?"

Ben looked back at the pool. He tried to think of a way to cross the freezing pool. It was a long way to the other side and there's no doubt he'll get hypothermia if he stays in too long. Ben noticed some strange creatures wiggling beneath the water.

"What are those things?" asked Ben.

"They're living feathers that inhabit the hot springs." said Vibracio. "They love to tickle as much as us tickle monsters."

Ben got an idea. "Well, I sure don't want them tickling me." he said casually. "I can't stand being tickled. Especially my armpits, they're my worst spot."

As he hoped, Vibracio got that devious glint in his eye. Ben recognized that glint, it's the same glint a tickle monster gets when they have an urge to tickle someone.

Vibracio used his ponytail to restrain Ben's arms and hold them up. "Oh, so you don't like your armpits tickled, do you?" He began mercilessly tickle Ben's armpit with his fingers.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ben laughed as the hermit tickled. He felt his doubt gone and he took off running. Vibracio released Ben and the hero dove in the water. It was warm as a bathtub.

Ben's happiness made the feathers in the water tickle him. The hero laughed as he swam across the warm spring. Once he made it to the other side, he cheered and jumped with happiness.

Vibracio smiled and crossed his arms. "He knew that a tickle monster couldn't resist tickling a human, so he used that weakness of mine and made me tickle him to erase his fears and doubts to make the water warm enough for him to swim across." He let out a laugh. "He sure is a smart lad."

And now, it was time for the final task. And this time, Ben had the confidence to do it. He and Vibracio were high within a feather tree in the Tickle Jungle. "What's next, teacher?" asked the hero.

"Well, as you can see, it's getting late." Vibracio looked at the sunset. "For your final task, you must swing from the fur trees and get to a warm bed hidden in the trees. Think you can handle it?"

"Are you kidding? I've always wanted to do this! I've seen every Tarzan movie ever made!" Ben grabbed a feather vine and took off swinging, letting out a big Tarzan cry.

Vibracio couldn't believe it! Ben was effortlessly swinging from tree to tree without any tickles or shred of doubt.

"THIS IS AWESOME! WOO-HOOOOOO!" Ben was having a blast! He finally overcame his inner demons and discovered what he needed; to relax and have a little fun!

After an hour of swinging and Tarzan calling, Ben found a treehouse in the highest treetop. He went inside and found a comfy looking bed of feathers.

"Alright!" Ben flopped down on the feather bed. "I did it!"

"You sure did." Vibracio said. "You have passed my tasks with flying colors!"

"Thanks, Vibracio. I had a great time." Ben smiled. "I'm glad I came."

"As am I." Vibracio began making some tea for he and his pupil to enjoy. "Care for some tea, Ben?"

"Sure!" Ben took a cup as his tickle mentor sat with him on the feather bed. "I gotta say, those challenges were really something! I bet I can take on any other challenges thrown at me!"

"That's the spirit, my boy! With your positive and determined mind, you can overcome any obstacle in life. Maybe even my roughest tickle tests!"

"Roughest tickle tests? Why don't I take on one of those?" asked Ben.

"Are you sure? It can make even the toughest person crumble." Vibracio warned.

Ben smiled, his heart full of confidence. "I'm sure! Let's do it!"

Vibracio chuckled. "Alright, a bonus test then we'll call it a night.

That evening, Ben was sitting cross-legged on the floor with his arms held out. In each hand he was holding a tray packed with full teacups.

Vibracio sat behind him, smiling. "Last chance to back out, Ben. I made my fingertips extra fluffy for this."

"No! I'm ready!" Ben said. But he was very nervous deep down.

"Very well." Vibracio began slowly tickling Ben's armpits. "Tickle, tickle, tickle..."

Ben bit his lower lip to fight of the ticklish feeling. The trays trembled in his shaking hands.

Vibracio chuckled in Ben's ear. "Shouldn't have told me this was your tickle spot." he teased, knowing it made the tickling worse. "Coochy, coochy, cooooo!"

Ben resisted his rise to laugh with everything he's got. His trembling made the trays wobbled, but Ben was able not to drop them.

"So, tell me. How much does does it tickle?" Vibracio mused.

"Very, very, ticklish!" Ben growled through clenched teeth. "But I won't crack!"

"Then I'm going for your belly." Vibracio dragged his fluffy fingers down Ben sides and slowly tickled the hero's tummy.

Ben cracked and laughed a little. He almost dropped the trays but quickly regained his composure.

"Ooooooh, is somebody belly ticklish?" Vibracio teased as he tickled Ben's shivering stomach. "Oooh! Somebody's belly's ticklish!" He tickled and stroked Ben's second weak spot. "Belly, belly, belly!"

Ben couldn't help but giggle, but kept the trays still.

"Only a half of of this and you pass, Ben." Vibracio reminded him.

"I won't give up!" Ben shouted before reduced to giggling. "No matter what! Ahahahahahahahaha!"

The Tickle hermit truly admired Ben's determination. It's no wonder Jocu held in him in such high regard.

He had the heart of a true hero indeed.

* * *

 **newbienovelistRD: I hope you liked it, guestsurpise! I may not have made it exactly as we planned, but I figured we'd save the original plot for another story! I also have another story idea to discuss!**


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